Professional Documents
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HANDBOOK
05 WHY ITS IMPORTANT
09 WHY ITS TOUGH
19 WHAT MAKES A GOOD ONE
21 A NAMING FRAMEWORK
25 HOW TO DO IT
47 WHATS NEXT
1
WHY ITS
IMPORTANT
Whats in a name?
Organizations dont build reputation on
company or product name alone. A name is
rarely encountered in isolation, bound in a little
product-experience-communication cosmos,
and a good one wont save a misconceived
or badly executed idea. That said, a strong
name cant be underestimated. Its a tool in a
bigger armoury, but a crucial one. It opens the
conversation with a user and itll be hanging
around every interaction thereafter.
When we name our kids, we author the opening
lines of their chapter one. We give them
names they can grow into, names that fit our
vision of what theyll become in the world.
Without needing to pour over the evidence, we
understand that beyond hypothetical hopes,
names have actual consequences in later life.
Theres evidence people prefer politicians with
simpler names and professionals with names
that are easy to pronounce climb the corporate
ladder more quickly.
2 3
A NAME IS
A SIGNAL
A name can be a literal signal, describing a
specific offer in a matter-of-fact way. This is
often the case in technical, B2B worlds, where
buyers make speedy, pragmatic decisions. More
often than not though, a names a figurative
signal. It conveys how an organization thinks
and behaves in a neat little nutshell.
A bad, boring,
purpose, alluding to and setting expectations
around an experience.
6 7
ITS PERSONAL Although we whole-heartedly recommend living
with and weighing up a name in context over at
least a couple of days, its impossible to avoid
knee-jerk, idiosyncratic response.
AND GO follow suit and before you know it, theres little
difference between names. A name should live
as long as the brand does, so its important to
avoid and anticipate fashions. Heres a brief look
at a few of the biggest.
Location
Geographic names became more
common in the sixties, especially when
Founder or product places had positive associations.
At the end of the nineteenth and British Airways (1974) based their
start of the twentieth century brand on polite traditionalism, DKNY
names were linked to who the on Big Apple glitz. Taking this further,
founder (as in Ford, 1909; Chanel, some used their name to bring to mind
1909; Selfridges, 1909), or what a different place. French-sounding
the product (as in General Motors, British company Pret a Manger (1984)
1908; International Business used the countrys reputation for
Machines, 1924 and General exacting gourmet standards to suggest
Electric, 1892). a better culinary experience.
Attitude Invention
At the end of the twentieth century, Proprietary names are easy to protect Theres currently a debate about
attitude-based names took hold, like and recently weve seen inventions whether single letter domain names,
Virgin (1970), Apple (1976) & Orange (Skype, 2003; Zynga, 2007), compounds like a.com should be made available
(1990). They stood out and many (Facebook, 2004; YouTube, 2005), and to register. If they are, this could be
survived the test of time. They quickly misspelled or mimetic words (Tumblr, the source of another new trend.
convey a value that lives at the heart 2007; Flickr, 2004). Coined Latinate
of the brand. For Orange and Apple, words have also become popular with
its that telecoms and technology multi-nationals looking to optimise
design respectively should be simple market share (Aviva 2000; Centrica,
and human-centred. For Branson, as a 1997). They can be trademarled and lack
virgin in business he set out to be the tricky consonant clusters. They apply
ultimate iconoclast, always challenging anywhere and are familiar to Spanish,
business conventions. French and Italian speakers whose
mother tongues have Latin roots.
16 17
4 NAMING
FRAMEWORK
The framework on the following pages lays out
three naming categories. There arent hard
and fast lines between them and they apply to
organizations, products and services alike. Well
also look at other considerations when choosing
a name, and theres a neat summary at the end
of the section.
18 19
TYPES OF DESCRIPTIVE This type of name, like The British Museum,
lowcostholidays.com and Royal Bank of
AllAll
rights
rights
reserved
reserved
byby
chaplinnn
SimsiM Naming Framework 23
ABSTRACT These are invented words that arent obviously
linked to a product, like Spotify, Skype & Kodak.
Theyre sometimes constructed by truncating
two or more starter words.
i Phonetics
In other words, the sound of the word. Is there a
good balance between consonants and vowels?
Does it have a good rhythm? Do people always
place the stress in the same place? All this
dictates how memorable the name is. Coca
Cola, with its alternating vowels and sing-song
rhythm, is a perfect example in this respect.
ii
Poetics
To shape phonetics, naming consultants
draw on creative writing techniques. Two of
the most common are rhyme (to make fun,
humorous names like PigglyWiggly, Nutter
Butter and HobNob) and alliteration (for friendly,
approachable names like Burts Bees, Dunkin
Donuts and Mr Muscle).
26 Naming Framework 27
iii
Phonosemantics
Phonosemantics, or sound symbolism, refers to Conventional sound symbolism
the innate meaning in sounds. ...which is linked to a specific language. If a
sound is repeated in a group of words with a
Whether a sound can hold meaning is a similar meaning, that sound can come to be
fascinating and massively debated topic. associated with that meaning by native speakers
Following Saussure (1949), the dominant view of that language. For example, the phoneme gl is
in contemporary linguistics is that the sign is used inglimmer, glisten, glint, glow and glitter, so
arbitrary, i.e. theres no relationship between a a word that starts with gl might make me think
word and the thing it describes. As Pinker puts of shiny things. Or, as sl is slippery, sliding and
it, the word dog does not look like, walk like or slithering, it might evoke wet, fluid imagery.
woof like a dog.
Synesthetic sound symbolism
Although this perspective isnt seriously ...which relates to sounds that consistently
disputed, neuroscientists have found represent visual or tactile properties. They have
exceptions. The most notable is based on a universal associations and apply no matter the
series of experiments by a German-American native language.
psychologist. To investigate the relationship
between phonemes and meaning, Kohler tested
whether sounds could be mapped to visuals.
He found that native speakers of completely
different languages identified a rounded shape
with the word naluma and an angular shape
with the word, taketa, concluding that meaning
and sound can never be fully separated.
28 Naming Framework 29
ptk l mn
= hard, sharp and masculine = soft, round and feminine
These are obstruent consonants called These are sonorant consonants that let
stops, meaning they obstruct airflow. air flow in the mouth. Theyre perceived as
Theyre perceived as being harder, being softer, rounded and more feminine.
sharper and more masculine.
30 Naming Framework 31
ee as in teen, i as in ping, i as in fly oo as in boot, a as in father, o as in core
These are high front end vowels which we These are low, back end vowel sounds that we
associate with small things, like mice that are associate with big things, like humongous
teeny and squeak (Pinker). 90% of languages elephants that roar (Pinker).
use high front end vowels for diminutives too.
32 Naming Framework 33
OTHER Aside from the type of name and the linguistic
considerations, there are three important
ii
DOES IT NEED EXPLANATION?
If the answer is yes, a descriptor might be used.
Descriptors sit alongside abstract or evocative
names, particularly when the concept is new
to market. It may fall away once the name is
understood, but in the first instance it provides
helpful context. Whereas a tagline is a call to
action, the essence of the brand, or the driving
force behind a campaign, a descriptor should be
very literal, and different in kind from the name
itself. GO - the low cost airline from British
Airways is a great example of an evocative
name plus a literal descriptor.
34 Naming Framework 35
iii DOES IT FIT THE BIGGER PICTURE?
If a company has multiple offers, consumers
need to understand the relationship between
them. A naming system brings cohesion.
It helps people chose what they want, see
distinct propositions and understand hierarchy
- 1 series BMWs are more affordable than 7s for
example, and 3s are in the middle.
36 Naming Framework 37
FRAMEWORK
SUMMARY DESCRIPTIVE
Easy to understand and can emphasise a USP
NS
Not costly, reinforces a masterbrand, ideal for short life cycles
TIO
A
S
EM
EVOCATIVE
S
ON
I CS
I C
OS
ET
ET
PO
HE
ON
PH
ABSTRACT
Easy to trademark and protect
An empty vessel that can come to define a category
BUT requires significant spend
EV OCATIV E Can be over-engineered, cold and bland
LINGUISTIC CONSIDERATIONS
Does it sound good and is it easy to say? (phonetics)
Are creative writing techniques helpful? (poetics)
AB ST RA CT Does the sound have suitable associations? (phonosemantics)
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Does it look the part?
Does it need explanation?
Does it fit the bigger picture?
38 Naming Framework 39
5 HOW TO
DO IT
Naming is a creative process so theres little
common practice. At Lexicon, its about
breadth of input. At Idiom, another prolific
San Francisco-based consultancy, its about
consensus. They invite the client into a super
session and use language games, like Synonym
Explosion, as prompts. NameLab digitally
combines morphemes and calls the process
constructional linguistics.
40 41
A A
DISCOVER
First, we experience. We go to the shops, the
DISCOVER offices, immerse ourselves in the literature,
speak to and act like the customers. We look at
B
competitors too. Which naming categories do
they typically fall under? Is there a gap we can
exploit to stand out?
BRIEF
C
B BRIEF
The importance of the brief cant be stressed
enough. In it, we synthesize everything weve
GENERATE
learned during the discovery phase and well
include questions like:
D
Whats the offer? How will it evolve?
Whos it for?
Whats distinctive?
FILTER
Whats its personality?
How should it make people feel?
E
What should it make them do?
Is there a parent brand and whats the
relationship?
PRESENT Whats the history?
Whats the context?
F
Well propose a strategy for name generation and
set out the criteria. These are vital as theyll be
used to judge ideas later on.
SELECT
G
LAUNCH
H
BUILD
42 How to do it 43
C
GENERATE
Well brainstorm a long list, using different
thematic start points as conceptual
D FILTER
We filter to a short list using the criteria from
the brief. At this stage, well do an initial check of
springboards. Some weve found useful are: domain names, trademarks, cultural sensitivities
and similar local brand names in important
locations of the offices and production facilities markets. This avoids wasting valuable time on
names that arent available.
communities of people wholl use the product
Unless the offer is predominantly digital, we
outcomes that relate to the thing youre naming. dont get hung up on domain names, especially
given the dominance of search engines and the
tools that link to the experience importance of SEO in organic listings.
actions the product facilitates Trademarks are more integral as they dictate
whether a name can be legally protected. Of the
moments that are somehow pertinent 45 international categories, which are important?
If theres anything similar in the same class,
names, which can be useful when trust is key thats a problem. On the other hand, you can use
a name that already exists, as long as its being
numbers, which can link to a neat little story used in a completely different class. Think Ford
Explorer and Internet Explorer. Or Polo mints, VW
acronyms or initials, which can be tactically Polo and Polo Ralph Lauren.
useful. International Business Machines sounds
like a dinosaur but IBMs ok, and KFC doesnt While were on the subject, its worth noting the
scream cholesterol in the way Kentucky Fried reason for fierce policing of this area. Theres a
Chicken does. fine line between a widely used but protectable
brand name, and a brand name that becomes so
We bring lots of heads together, many of whom ubiquitous its impossible to protect. This is what
will have no context beforehand. We plan the marketers call genericide and it happened to
briefing depending on what we want from the jacuzzi, trampoline, frisbee, aspirin, cellophane,
session. If we think a masterbrand might shape thermos, yo yo, rollerblade and ping pong,
suggestions in a way we want to avoid for amongst many others.
example, we wont mention it. We lead thinking
in unexpected directions, keep it short, and
write everything down, filtering later.
44 How to do it 45
E PRESENT
We do the shortlist justice by presenting
recommendations in a bold and impactful way.
F SELECT
We ask the client to make a selection at this
stage. Some organizations require research
We imagine broad usage - what would an ad say? groups to double-check associations and
What could brand extensions be called? Does it pronunciation. Groups are useful if the clients
lend itself to product spin offs? How could the corporate culture is consensus-driven. However,
name influence the brands verbal identity? How theyre only ever data gathering exercises.
will it sound in years to come? We dont use them for decision by committee.
H BUILD
Beyond the name, we aim to build a voice for the
brand, focusing on tone and messaging. Well
also train writers to apply it well.
46 How to do it 47
6 WHATS
NEXT?
Weve covered the history of naming, looked at
the framework and the process. So how will all
this evolve and what does it mean for people
generating and selecting brand names?
48 49
Language is a living thing and lexical possibility But the English language wont forever be the
means better self-expression. When brand biggest. The British Council predict Hindi, Arabic
names help us quickly and easily express what and Spanish will claim at least as many native
we mean, we absorb them. I jot notes on Post speakers in 2050 and Mandarin leads the charge
Its, not pressure sensitive sticky papers, and I on that front. Chinese webpages are multiplying
spend a disconcerting number of waking hours and as the Far East becomes a bubbling hotbed
using PowerPoint, not a presentation graphics for the science and technology sectors, English
programme. may well be displaced there too.
We cling to euphemistic brand names that spare Rising consumer power adds fuel to the fire.
our blushes, which is why Viagra and Prozac Despite some spluttering, the goods market
entered the OED in 2001. When brand names in China is still growing by 13% annually and
are words for new technologies, we can only behemoth brands with western names are
embrace them. What else would we call Velcro? coming unstuck. Chinese relies on characters,
The same goes for new behaviours. When there rather than a phonetic alphabet, and every
isnt a pre-existing verb for an action that quickly character is a drawing with layers of meaning.
becomes commonplace, the brand name is used In this context, names have deep significance.
as a verb. This is why I Skype and Google (but Phonetic representations of brand names
I dont Bing brand-verbs cant co-exist). Its look limp and intentional meaning, literal or
something etymologists call anthimeria. associative, is lost. Brands are now looking for
homonyms that pack a semantic punch no
Because of western capitalism and the scale light undertaking and specialist cross-cultural
of the English language, English speakers consultancies have been quick to fill a lucrative
have been front of mind for name consultants. gap. This is how Reebok became Rui Bu, meaning
Organizations with international market big steps, Colgate is known as Gao lu jie,
ambition chose English names regardless of revealing superior cleanliness, and Coca Cola is
origin, hence Thai government-owned Thai Kekoukele, happiness power.
Airways, Korean conglomerate LG Electronics,
and Middle Eastern investment managers, Beyond this new off-shoot of the naming
Investcorps. industry, the language shift is having a more
fundamental impact on brand names. Qatari
Tricky words were simplified so they were telco Qtel leveraged its linguistic roots in a
easy(ish) for English speakers to say. Tokyo recent rebrand, becoming Ooreedoo the Arabic
Tsushin Kogyo became Sony, from the Latin for I want. Chinese telco Huawai, pronounced
for sound, and consumer electronics firm wah-way, decided to stick with their name in
Haier took off the Qingdao part. Seikikogaku America and make a feature of the fact its
kenkyusho became Canon, Lianxiang - Lenovo hard to pronounce. Xiaomi, Chinas answer
and Nintendo Koppai dropped the last bit. At the to Apple with a larger market share than its
same time, as western brands grew and Roman American rival, hired an ex-Googler to focus on
letters became a sign of sophistication in some international markets and has no intentions of
markets, local brands like Korean caf Twosome changing its distinctly Chinese name.
Place and retailer Bean Pole jumped on the Similarly, Shang Xia, a luxury, Hermes-backed
bandwagon. brand founded in 2008, has just opened its first
Paris boutique after success in Shanghai and
Beijing.
50 Whats Next? 51
When choosing a brand name, this linguistic shift
The evidence is limited at the moment, but Ive means you should:
no doubt the movement will gather steam as
markets gain confidence and stature. This means Carefully consider the potential of future,
English speakers will be increasingly exposed non-English speaking markets at the outset.
to unfamiliar sounds. Initially challenging letter If Chinese or Arabic-speaking consumers are
combinations will become recognisable and well likely to form an important target either now
be able to pronounce them with ease. or in future, feed this in to the naming brief.
Having foresight at an early stage avoids clumsy
And when a brand comes along thats impossible retrofits or costly re-brands at a later stage.
to describe using existing English words,
well absorb it. Language protectionists worry Co-create with the specialists like linguists and
about the impact of Anglo-saxonisms in other native speakers of foreign languages. Theyre
languages borrowed words in Chinese, the invaluable. Bring them into brainstorming
rise of Arabizi in Arabic, Gairaigo in Japanese sessions and spend time face-to-face to explore
and Franglais in French. Languages are already possibilities. For existing brands, consumers
changing shape around the edges and English should be considered specialists too. Why
will too. not open up the exchange with consumers
and consult them directly? (For more on this
exchange see our recent Game Changers report.)
Carry out cultural and local checks early
because understanding potential problems at
the outset saves time and heartache longer
term. An initial disaster check will ensure your
name doesnt mean something unfortunate in
another language or dialect. Itll weed out issues
linked to similar-sounding local brands. Google
searches only go so far and its impossible to get
the full measure of this stuff from your desk.
Play, invent and turn what may seem like
frustrating parameters into positives. Theyll
make your approach more creative, which isnt
necessarily a bad thing. It might have all kinds of
unexpected advantages.
52 Whats Next? 53
FURTHER
READING
ACADEMIC ARTICLES BOOKS
A Sound Idea: Phonetic Effects of Brand Names Wordcraft: The Art of Turning Little An overview of the naming
on Consumer Judgments Words into Big Business process from a freelancer who
Eric Yorkston, Geeta Menon Alex Frankel worked in some of the San
Francisco consultancies.
Whats in a name change? Re-Joycing Corporate
Names to Create Corporate Brands
Laurent Muzellac Very scientific for those
Sound Symbolism with an academic interest in
Sound symbolism effects across languages: Hinton, Nichols & Ohala phonosemnatics.
Implications for global brand names
L. J. Shrum, T. M. Lowrey, David Luna, D. B.
Lerman, Min Liu A fascinating take on language,
The Language Instinct arguing its a biological instinct,
Stephen Pinker powered by a distinct part of
the brain
Idiom Naming
NameLab
A Hundred Monkeys
55
Accor Affinity Diageo Duxx EE
56